Pet Lovers

[Nadine]

Wondered if anyone here has  Dane. I am so confused on what to feed. We're getting our puppy tomorrow and the breeder is feeding Purina puppy chow. I don't want to keep him on that food but the more I read the more confused I get.

Hoping someone on here can help.

[Mz iMac]

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@Nadine wrote:

 the breeder is feeding Purina puppy chow. I don't want to keep him on that food.

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Why not?

[NickNack]

Congratulations on your new puppy!  I don't have a great dane but wouldn't want to keep him on Purina Puppy Chow either.  I would suggest asking the breeder to give you some Puppy Chow so you can change him to the new food gradually.  Then get a good quality food like Fromm or Wellness and switch him over.  I feed Fromm, and it's an excellent quality food.  So is Wellness.

[HappyDaze]

oh my gosh no, please switch them off that krap It is like feeding Fast food to a dog.

Please do alot of research and join a Great Dane forum. In all honesty, most legitimate Great Dane breeders and those who raise Danes do NOT feed GD puppies puppy food and certainly never krap like Purina puppy chow. Great Danes grow really fast and you actually want to slow that down a bit or you can end up with a world of bone and growth issues, including lameness.Their nutritional needs are very different than most puppies. We only feed the giant breeds Precise Holistic and Honest Kitchen, both of which are pricey but well worth it. I am sure there are other good foods that may be cheaper but the giants do great on these foods and no major recalls on the foods so a good track record in terms of safety. Many GD owners I know feed the RAW diet but I personally have never felt comfortable doing that myself but their GDs do great on the diet.

I work with rescues and I take care of mostly large and giant breeds so I know alot about Great Danes and have raised several over the years. They are not just like any other dog and are a bit more high maintenance in terms of their health and wellness needs if you want them to live a long, healthy life

[hoosieroriginal]

I would check with your vet - large dogs are a special breed - they have special needs sometimes.  Lots of energy there!  Enjoy your sweet angel!   I love big dogs!

[HappyDaze]

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@hoosieroriginal wrote:

I would check with your vet - large dogs are a special breed - they have special needs sometimes.  Lots of energy there!  Enjoy your sweet angel!   I love big dogs!

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Actually Great Danes are more like Couch potatoes and not high energy at all. In fact, they should not be taken on long jogs, especially as puppies.

[tarerye]

I am a Vet Tech and what I would suggest is, leaving the puppy on the food the breeder is feeding for now. When you go for your first vet visit, ask the doctor what food he/she would suggest. If you change foods as soon as you bring the puppy home, you stand the chance of stomach upsets, diarhea, etc. It's best to talk to the professional that is going to be seeing your pet for years to come. Good luck, Danes are a wonderful breed to raise.

[HappyDaze]

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@tarerye wrote:

I am a Vet Tech and what I would suggest is, leaving the puppy on the food the breeder is feeding for now. When you go for your first vet visit, ask the doctor what food he/she would suggest. If you change foods as soon as you bring the puppy home, you stand the chance of stomach upsets, diarhea, etc. It's best to talk to the professional that is going to be seeing your pet for years to come. Good luck, Danes are a wonderful breed to raise.

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Yes but OP please make sure you see find a vet that is very familar with Great Danes needs. Many many vets are completely clueless about the special needs of Great Danes.It is scary, actually.

[HappyDaze]

@Nadine also please be sure to read up on Bloat and torsion to know the signs. Please elevate their food and water bowls too.

[Lapdog]

I have raised and shown Danes.  As is stated by others here, you do  not feed Dane puppies puppy food.  However you will need to switch over a few days time.

The most important thing is to find a veterinarian that specializes in large/giant breeds.  They are not the same and they need to be treated differently.

Ask the breeder how long his/her dogs live? how old their oldest dog is?.  Might give you an insight with the bloodline.  Ask if there is any bloat or hip displaysia in the line. 

My experience with the breed is that they are giant destructive baby children until they turn 2 and then they are magically total angels.  I would not trade one minute of the hard/sad times with these special beasts.  I loved them very very very much.

And yes, they want a spin or 3 around the yard and the rest of their day is spent sitting on your lap.

Best Wishes!!!!  you are in for a grand time with a grand breed.